Steps to Health: Getting a grip on iron-rich foods

Updated 11:13 am, Friday, September 13, 2013

Here's a fun fact: Liquid iron supplements taste like blood.

How do I know this? Every day, I choke down a liquid iron supplement or swallow an iron pill because a blood test showed I have low ferritin. Ferritin is a protein that binds to iron, so low levels indicate iron-deficiency anemia.

I'd rather shore up my iron stores with diet than supplements, so I sought advice from Barbra Swanson, a registered dietitian and naturopathic doctor.

“It's very difficult for a dietary food source to really impact iron stores quickly,” said Swanson, who's in private practice in San Antonio. “The best way to raise iron levels quickly is through supplementation.”

Still, eating iron-rich foods is important in treating iron-deficiency anemia.

Foods from animals, such as liver, oysters, chicken and canned sardines, top the list of iron-containing foods. Iron also is found in fortified breakfast cereals and bread, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, beans and leafy greens, including spinach. Eating those veggies can help ease the digestion problems sometimes caused by iron supplements, Swanson said.

Iron from animal sources, known as heme iron, is easier for the body to absorb than iron from plant sources, known as non-heme iron.

Considering I don't eat red meat or pork, I might be stuck with supplements for a long time.

The tannins found in tea also interfere with the absorption of iron, as does calcium.

Swanson pointed out that iron isn't the only mineral the body uses to make red blood cells. Several B vitamins, copper, vitamin A and zinc are necessary, too. Fortunately, those are found in leafy greens, too. Popeye was right!

Women of child-bearing age, vegetarians, children and people who donate blood frequently are at a higher risk for iron-deficiency anemia, which prevents blood from carrying enough oxygen to the rest of the body. It can cause fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness and increased risk of infections.

It's too bad women typically crave chocolate and alcohol during menstruation, when they lose blood every month, instead of green salads, Swanson said: “Maybe you should take a B-complex vitamin with your Cosmo.”

A few important points: Anemia can be caused by factors other than diet, such as ulcers and blood disorders, so consult a physician.

Also, when it comes to iron, more isn't always better.

A genetic liver disorder known as hemochromatosis, in which too much iron builds up in the body, can damage organs and raise the risk of some cancers. Research suggests excess iron may also increase the risk of diabetes and heart attack.

The connection raises the question of whether the link between high levels of red meat in the diet and certain cancers has to do with eating too much heme iron, Swanson said.